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Friday, August 23, 2024

Basketball - Talent Minus Bad Habits

Talent isn't enough. What's in your bucket?

It's a given that an excellent player has talent. What compromises her results? 

- Lack of focus. Does the player know the team's philosophy and playbook? Does a player understand "attention to detail." 

- Inadequate effort  Performance reflects skill, game knowledge, physical training, and psychology (the mental game). Effort falls within the latter domain. Effort extends to punctuality and academics as well. 

- Selfishness  Young players, especially adolescents often have an egocentric view. "How does this affect me? How am I going to get my numbers." Players may not understand the importance of teamwork and that the best players impact winning by making everyone around them better. 

- Lack of toughness  "Basketball is not a contact sport; it is a collision sport." Some don't want to go to the floor, battle for rebounds, set and fight through screens, take charges. 

Habit formation is crucial. During player development make good habits easy, attractive, and rewarding and bad habits harder to do, unattractive, and non-rewarding. 

Improving focus. Mindfulness is one way. 

Work ethic, selfishness, and toughness aren't easily fixed. How about an AI consult? 

Coaching can significantly influence an individual's work ethic, approach to selfishness, and mental toughness. Here’s how:

1. Work Ethic

  • Goal Setting: Coaches help individuals set and pursue clear, achievable goals. This fosters a strong work ethic by creating a sense of purpose and motivation.
  • Accountability: Regular check-ins and feedback from a coach can hold individuals accountable for their progress, encouraging consistency and diligence.
  • Skill Development: Through targeted training and practice, coaching helps individuals build skills and competence, which reinforces the value of hard work and dedication.

2. Selfishness

  • Team Dynamics: Coaches often emphasize the importance of teamwork and collaboration. By focusing on collective goals and the success of the team, coaching can reduce self-centered behavior.
  • Empathy and Perspective: Coaching can help individuals understand how their actions affect others, fostering a greater sense of empathy and reducing selfish tendencies.
  • Leadership Skills: Effective coaching can enhance leadership qualities, encouraging individuals to prioritize the needs of the group and act with integrity rather than self-interest.

3. Toughness

  • Resilience Building: Coaches help individuals navigate challenges and setbacks, teaching them how to bounce back from failure and maintain a positive attitude.
  • Stress Management: By offering strategies for managing stress and pressure, coaching helps individuals develop mental toughness and handle difficult situations with greater composure.
  • Mental Strategies: Techniques such as visualization, positive self-talk, and goal reinforcement can strengthen an individual's mental resilience and toughness.

Lagniappe. Duke clear backdoor. Beautiful. 

Lagniappe 2. Stampede and dish.  

Lagniappe 3. Director Mira Nair says you need, "the soul of a poet and the hide of an elephant." 

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